12/11/10

  02:10:13 am by , Categories: Spiritual , Tags: matthew 25_1-46, psalm 73_1-28

For this mornings personal devotions I read Psalms 73-75 and Matthew 25.
Psalm 73:1-28
A Psalm of Asaph.
1  Truly God is good to Israel, even to such as are of a clean heart.    2 But as for me, my feet were almost gone; my steps had well nigh slipped. 3 For I was envious at the foolish, when I saw the prosperity of the wicked. 4 For there are no bands in their death: but their strength is firm.  5 They are not in trouble as other men; neither are they plagued like other men.   6 Therefore pride compasseth them about as a chain; violence covereth them as a garment. 7 Their eyes stand out with fatness: they have more than heart could wish.  8 They are corrupt, and speak wickedly concerning oppression: they speak loftily. 9 They set their mouth against the heavens, and their tongue walketh through the earth. 10 Therefore his people return hither: and waters of a full cup are wrung out to them. 11 And they say, How doth God know? and is there knowledge in the most High? 12 Behold, these are the ungodly, who prosper in the world; they increase in riches. 13 Verily I have cleansed my heart in vain, and washed my hands in innocency. 14 For all the day long have I been plagued, and chastened every morning.  
15 If I say, I will speak thus; behold, I should offend against the generation of thy children. 16 When I thought to know this, it was too painful for me;  17 Until I went into the sanctuary of God; then understood I their end. 18 Surely thou didst set them in slippery places: thou castedst them down into destruction. 19 How are they brought into desolation, as in a moment! they are utterly consumed with terrors. 20 As a dream when one awaketh; so, O Lord, when thou awakest, thou shalt despise their image.
21 Thus my heart was grieved, and I was pricked in my reins. 22 So foolish was I, and ignorant: I was as a beast before thee.   23 Nevertheless I am continually with thee: thou hast holden me by my right hand. 24 Thou shalt guide me with thy counsel, and afterward receive me to glory. 25 Whom have I in heaven but thee? and there is none upon earth that I desire beside thee. 26 My flesh and my heart faileth: but God is the strength of my heart, and my portion for ever.  27 For, lo, they that are far from thee shall perish: thou hast destroyed all them that go a whoring from thee. 28 But it is good for me to draw near to God: I have put my trust in the Lord GOD, that I may declare all thy works.


This is the first psalm of Asaph to me it was interesting, in that he was envious of the foolish. They appeared prosperous and suffered no ill affects. Then he goes on with the observation of how proud and corrupt they where. In contrast he bemoans his own trials and tribulations. It is only when he went into the house of God and it was revealed to him what their end would be.

Matthew 25:1-46
Then shall the kingdom of heaven be likened unto ten virgins, which took their lamps, and went forth to meet the bridegroom. 2 And five of them were wise, and five were foolish. 3 They that were foolish took their lamps, and took no oil with them: 4 But the wise took oil in their vessels with their lamps. 5 While the bridegroom tarried, they all slumbered and slept. 6 And at midnight there was a cry made, Behold, the bridegroom cometh; go ye out to meet him. 7 Then all those virgins arose, and trimmed their lamps. 8 And the foolish said unto the wise, Give us of your oil; for our lamps are gone out.  9 But the wise answered, saying, Not so; lest there be not enough for us and you: but go ye rather to them that sell, and buy for yourselves. 10 And while they went to buy, the bridegroom came; and they that were ready went in with him to the marriage: and the door was shut. 11 Afterward came also the other virgins, saying, Lord, Lord, open to us. 12 But he answered and said, Verily I say unto you, I know you not. 13 Watch therefore, for ye know neither the day nor the hour wherein the Son of man cometh.
14 For the kingdom of heaven is as a man travelling into a far country, who called his own servants, and delivered unto them his goods. 15 And unto one he gave five talents, to another two, and to another one; to every man according to his several ability; and straightway took his journey.  16 Then he that had received the five talents went and traded with the same, and made them other five talents. 17 And likewise he that had received two, he also gained other two. 18 But he that had received one went and digged in the earth, and hid his lord’s money. 19 After a long time the lord of those servants cometh, and reckoneth with them. 20 And so he that had received five talents came and brought other five talents, saying, Lord, thou deliveredst unto me five talents: behold, I have gained beside them five talents more. 21  His lord said unto him, Well done, thou good and faithful servant: thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy lord. 22  He also that had received two talents came and said, Lord, thou deliveredst unto me two talents: behold, I have gained two other talents beside them. 23 His lord said unto him, Well done, good and faithful servant; thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy lord. 24 Then he which had received the one talent came and said, Lord, I knew thee that thou art an hard man, reaping where thou hast not sown, and gathering where thou hast not strawed: 25 And I was afraid, and went and hid thy talent in the earth: lo, there thou hast that is thine. 26  His lord answered and said unto him, Thou wicked and slothful servant, thou knewest that I reap where I sowed not, and gather where I have not strawed: 27 Thou oughtest therefore to have put my money to the exchangers, and then at my coming I should have received mine own with usury. 28 Take therefore the talent from him, and give it unto him which hath ten talents. 29 For unto every one that hath shall be given, and he shall have abundance: but from him that hath not shall be taken away even that which he hath. 30 And cast ye the unprofitable servant into outer darkness: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.
31 When the Son of man shall come in his glory, and all the holy angels with him, then shall he sit upon the throne of his glory: 32 And before him shall be gathered all nations: and he shall separate them one from another, as a shepherd divideth his sheep from the goats: 33 And he shall set the sheep on his right hand, but the goats on the left. 34 Then shall the King say unto them on his right hand, Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world: 35 For I was an hungred, and ye gave me meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me in: 36 Naked, and ye clothed me: I was sick, and ye visited me: I was in prison, and ye came unto me. 37 Then shall the righteous answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungred, and fed thee? or thirsty, and gave thee drink? 38  When saw we thee a stranger, and took thee in? or naked, and clothed thee? 39  Or when saw we thee sick, or in prison, and came unto thee? 40 And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me. 41 Then shall he say also unto them on the left hand, Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels: 42 For I was an hungred, and ye gave me no meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me no drink: 43 I was a stranger, and ye took me not in: naked, and ye clothed me not: sick, and in prison, and ye visited me not. 44 Then shall they also answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungred, or athirst, or a stranger, or naked, or sick, or in prison, and did not minister unto thee? 45 Then shall he answer them, saying, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye did it not to one of the least of these, ye did it not to me. 46 And these shall go away into everlasting punishment: but the righteous into life eternal.

This discourse is in response to the disciples questions about the destruction of the temple, His coming and the end of the age.

This portion of scripture is broken into 3 sections:

1. We must be wise and not foolish and be prepared for His coming NOW not at some future time.

2. We must be diligent until He comes we must be using His gifts and talents for His glory.

3. When He comes, He will come to judge and we will end up with either eternal life or everlasting punishment.

  02:08:41 am by , Categories: Spiritual , Tags: psalm 71_6_psalm 71_24

For this mornings personal devotions I read Psalms 71-73 and two verses in chapter 71 stood out to me
Psalm 71:6
6By thee have I been holden up from the womb: thou art he that took me out of my mother's bowels: my praise shall be continually of thee.

We are indebted to God from the womb and we should be continually praising for what He has done for us.
Psalm 71:24
24My tongue also shall talk of thy righteousness all the day long:
We should be talking about God all day long, He should not be reserved for Sundays only but every day.

  02:07:00 am by , Categories: Spiritual
This morning we did something different for family devotions as I saw the need for a bit of teaching after yesterdays devotion on "loving one another". We look at a number of passages on instruction from the book Proverbs and I just wanted to share them with you and a few thoughts that I gave to the children. Proverbs 1:7 7The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge: but fools despise wisdom and instruction. Proverbs 15:5 5A fool despiseth his father's instruction: but he that regardeth reproof is prudent. Proverbs 4:13 13Take fast hold of instruction; let her not go: keep her; for she is thy life. Proverbs 8:33 33Hear instruction, and be wise, and refuse it not. Proverbs 9:9 9Give instruction to a wise man, and he will be yet wiser: teach a just man, and he will increase in learning. Proverbs 12:1 1Whoso loveth instruction loveth knowledge: but he that hateth reproof is brutish. Proverbs 15:32 32He that refuseth instruction despiseth his own soul: but he that heareth reproof getteth understanding. First and foremost is that knowledge comes from the fear of the LORD. Are we fools and hate the instruction of our parents or do we consider it. We should got to our parents before we do things and ask them what do they think. We should listen to instruction don't let it go in one ear and out the other, ponder it for it will help us in our lives. Do we consider ourselves to be wise or fools, not matter how intelligent we think we are we can learn from instruction, Solomon was the wisest man alive but he had advisers that he must have listened to. God gave us parents and older Christians to turn to for instruction the elders used to sit at the gates. We have "been there done that" we have made the mistakes and learned from them we don't want our children to go through the heartache and suffering that we went through and have seen, a parent that loves his children tries to guide his children through life on the other hand a parent that does not love their children will not give instruction, guide lines and rules and let them live their lives as they please.
  02:04:56 am by , Categories: Spiritual , Tags: romans 1_16
Romans 1:16 16For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek. This last week I had the opportunity to watch a doco called Deborah 13 Servant of God. First I was amazed that the subject had not been treated as badly as it could have been. It was great to see a 13 year old who took every opportunity to present the gospel (and to tell you the truth a little ashamed of myself). I pray that God might give me the same vision of the lost as she had and that it might be the only time that some might have the gospel presented to them before they die. If you can track it down and watch it. If you can't I've got it on vhs
  02:02:40 am by , Categories: Spiritual , Tags: psalm 1
Psalm 1 1Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful. 2But his delight is in the law of the LORD; and in his law doth he meditate day and night. 3And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that bringeth forth his fruit in his season; his leaf also shall not wither; and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper. 4The ungodly are not so: but are like the chaff which the wind driveth away. 5Therefore the ungodly shall not stand in the judgment, nor sinners in the congregation of the righteous. 6For the LORD knoweth the way of the righteous: but the way of the ungodly shall perish. I just read this this morning and wanted to share with you some thoughts. The very first would Blessed or Happy are we? Do we choose to have good christian friends remember "bad company corrupts good morals" We need to meditate on His word day and night, we need to think about Him all the time. What are the rewards for those in His will? We will be watered and all that we do will prosper. What is the end of the ungodly? They are under the judgment of God,

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